Game Primer: OU at Florida - University of Oklahoma

Saturday, November 7

Gainesville, Fla.

6:45 p.m. CT

University of Oklahoma

Florida

November 05, 2026 | Football

Game Center Game Notes

Oklahoma

Florida

Saturday, Nov. 7 / 6:45 p.m. CT / Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

SECN / Radio / Live Stats / Game Notes

KEY STORYLINES

• In the first-ever on-campus meeting between the programs, Oklahoma (4-4 overall, 2-3 SEC) plays at No. 24/25/RV Florida (5-3, 3-3) on Saturday at 6:45 p.m. CT at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. The game will be televised by SEC Network with Matt Schumacker, Aaron Murray and Taylor Davis announcing.

• The only previous Oklahoma-Florida meetings came in the postseason, as the Gators topped the Sooners 24-14 in the BCS National Championship in Miami to cap the 2008 season (OU was No. 1 in the BCS rankings and No. 2 in the AP poll, while UF was No. 2 and No. 1, respectively) and No. 8 OU posted a 55-20 win over the No. 10 Gators in the 2020 Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas. See page 3 for more notes on the two contests.

• Florida is under the direction of first-year head coach Jon Sumrall. Sumrall served as Tulane's head coach the previous four seasons, including on Sept. 14, 2024, when No. 15 Oklahoma posted a 34-19 home win over the Green Wave. OU scored the game's first 21 points but Tulane closed it to 24-19 in the fourth quarter. Over their next four defensive possessions, the Sooners registered a three-and-out, an interception, a turnover on downs and a fumble recovery to close the game. OU's R Mason Thomas finished with 3.0 tackles for loss (all fourth-quarter sacks), a forced fumble and recovery, a pass breakup and a QB hurry.

• Oklahoma is 2-3 in SEC play. In the wins against No. 1 Texas and Mississippi State, the Sooners outscored the Longhorns and Bulldogs 20-7 off turnovers (not including a blocked punt OU recovered for a touchdown vs. UT). In the losses at No. 2 Georgia, vs. No. 15 Kentucky and vs. South Carolina, the Sooners were outscored 31-13 off turnovers.

• OU has followed every win with a loss this season and every loss with a win. Prior to this season, the most alternating wins and losses to start a season were six in 1968 under head coach Chuck Fairbanks and 2006 under head coach Bob Stoops (started with a loss both seasons).

• Florida is ranked No. 25 in this week's AP poll, making it the eighth consecutive OU opponent that was ranked or receiving votes in at least one of the two major polls at the time of competition. Season-opening foe UTEP is the only team that wasn't ranked or receiving votes. The Sooners have played four top-25 squads, including No. 1 Texas (won) and No. 2 Georgia (lost).

• Florida, which started 4-0 overall and 2-0 in SEC play with a 44-39 win at Auburn and a 52-28 home victory over No. 4 Ole Miss, has lost three of its last four contests (45-17 at No. 25 Missouri, 38-19 at South Carolina and 27-8 vs. Georgia this past Saturday; won 27-24 at No. 7 Texas two games ago). The Gators were ranked as high as No. 8 in the AP poll this season (following the Sept. 25 win over Ole Miss).

• Oklahoma's defense ranks in the top 25 nationally in several categories: No. 5 in opponent first downs (14.6 per game), No. 7 in third-down-conversion percentage (28.2), No. 10 in red-zone conversion percentage (71.4%), No. 15 in sacks per game (2.9 per game), No. 16 in passing defense (175.4 ypg) and No. 21 in total defense (304.6 ypg).

• The Sooners boast a veteran, home-grown defense. In fact, all 14 defensive starters this season began their college football careers at OU.

• Linebacker Owen Heinecke, who is in his fifth year at Oklahoma (was on Ohio State's lacrosse team in the 2021-22 school year), has led OU in tackles in seven of eight contests this season and boasts team highs of 64 stops, 7.5 tackles for loss and four QB hurries. He was a walk-on his first three years with the Sooners.

• In OU's first five games this season, it registered five drives that lasted at least 10 plays. Over the last three contests, it has totaled 10 such drives against UK (four), Mississippi State (two) and South Carolina (four).

• In its 13 games last season, OU registered 11 touchdown passes of at least 20 yards (0.8 per contest). Through eight games in 2026, John Mateer has already registered 10 such plays (1.3 per outing) to rank first (tied) in the SEC, third (tied) among Power Four players and seventh (tied) among all FBS players. They have covered 53, 48, 40, 36, 34 (twice), 32, 29, 22 and 20 yards. He also has passing TDs of 17, 14 and 10 yards.

• OU's Rocky Beers leads SEC tight ends with his 55.8 receiving yards per game (ranks fifth nationally) and his four receiving touchdowns. He has caught a TD pass in three of the last five contests.

• Fellow first-year OU tight end Hayden Hansen spent the last four seasons at Florida, starting 34 of his 37 outings there and registering 57 catches for 611 yards and five TDs. He has started five games this season.

STARKVILLE, MS - October 24, 2026 - Oklahoma Wide Receiver Isaiah Sategna III (#1) during the game between the Mississippi St. Bulldogs and the Oklahoma Sooners at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS. Photo By Brendall Vargas/University of Oklahoma

OPENING KICK

• The 2026 season marks the 132nd in OU football history. The Sooners lead the nation with their 50 all-time conference championships and 33 AP top-five finishes. They rank second with their seven Heisman Trophy winners (tied), five No. 1 overall NFL Draft picks (tied) and 27 11-plus-win seasons, third with seven AP national championships, their 101 weeks as the AP's No. 1 team and 431 total weeks in the AP Top 5, fifth with 59 bowl appearances and sixth with 426 NFL Draft picks.

• Saturday's contest will mark the 1,373rd in OU history. The Sooners rank fifth nationally with their .722 all-time winning percentage (964- 355-53 record), trailing Ohio State (.736), Alabama (.734), Notre Dame (.733) and Michigan (.731). Since the end of World War II (1946 season to present), OU leads all programs with 720 wins (25 more than Alabama, the program with the next most).

• The SEC leads the country with its 10 teams ranked in this week's AP Top 25, and eight of those squads are in the top 19. The Big Ten and Big 12 rank second with five top-25 teams each and are followed by the ACC with two and Mountain West and Pac-12 one each. The other team is Notre Dame (independent).

• Oklahoma went 10-3 overall and 6-2 in the SEC in 2025 and earned the No. 8 seed in the College Football Playoff (lost 34-24 to No. 9 seed Alabama in Norman). Florida went 4-8 overall and 2-6 in SEC play.

RECAPPING THE SOUTH CAROLINA GAME

• Oklahoma registered three interceptions and no turnovers, but was outgained 521-359 in total yardage in a 42-25 defeat to South Carolina on Saturday. It was OU's first loss with a positive turnover margin since the 2022 Cheez-It Bowl vs. Florida State (plus-1) and its first loss with a plus-3 margin since 2006 (at Oregon).

• The Sooners tied the game at 7 in the second quarter on a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown by Kip Lewis (his school-record-tying third career pick-six; most by an OU linebacker), but trailed 28-10 at halftime and 35-10 through three quarters.

• OU gained 241 of its 359 total offensive yards and scored 15 points in the fourth quarter on a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback John Mateer to wide receiver Ivan Carreon (of 34 and 10 yards) and a Tate Sandell 34-yard field goal.

• Sandell also made a 52-yard field goal in the second quarter, tying Gabe Brkic's (2019-21) school records for most field goal makes from 40-plus yards (21) and 50-plus yards (10).

• Carreon finished with five catches for a career-high 88 yards and his first two career TD receptions. His 11- yard grab in the third quarter marked his first reception of the season.

• Mateer completed 26 of 43 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and rushed 11 times for 29 yards. Tight end Rocky Beers had five catches for 51 yards and running back Tory Blaylock rushed six times for 32 yards.

• Linebacker Owen Heinecke and defensive back Courtland Guillory led OU with 10 tackles each. It was Heinecke's second straight game with 10 tackles, while Guillory's 10 stops were a career high.

• Junior defensive back Michael Boganowksi made his first career interception in the third quarter and freshman defensive back Markel Ford made his first career interception in the fourth quarter.

• Junior wide receiver Jacob Jordan recorded season highs of three receptions and 25 yards. It was his most catches and yards in a game since the 2024 season (had two receptions for 13 yards on the year entering the day). Freshman running back Jonathan Hatton Jr. had career highs of seven rushes for 26 yards and three receptions for 22 yards.

• Senior offensive lineman Caleb Nitta, a first-year Sooner who transferred from Western Kentucky, made his first OU start (at center).

WITTEN NAMED INTERIM OC

• OU head coach Brent Venables announced Monday that second-year offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle was relieved of his duties and that tight ends coach Jason Witten will serve in the role on an interim basis. Witten will also call offensive plays.

• A 17-year NFL star as tight end (he earned 11 Pro Bowl honors), Witten spent the last five years as head coach at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas, and coached his 2023 and '24 Warriors teams to Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools state championships.

• Witten finished his NFL career with 1,228 receptions (fourth most in league history) for 13,046 yards and 74 touchdowns. He was finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

• Said Venables on Monday: "Coach Witten will serve as offensive coordinator and play-caller for the remainder of the season. Beginning today, he will lead our offensive staff in preparing a clear and focused plan that gives our players the best opportunity to execute with confidence. My belief in the men in our locker room remains strong. Our responsibility as coaches is to turn that belief into preparation and performance. They deserve our very best leadership. That starts with me."

SERIES HISTORY VS. FLORIDA

• Oklahoma is 1-1 all-time vs. Florida, losing 24-14 in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game (2008 season) and winning 55-20 in the 2020 Cotton Bowl.

BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME NOTES

• The game, played on Jan. 8, 2009, was tied 7-7 at half and 14-14 with 12 minutes left in the fourth before Florida made a field goal with 10:45 remaining and scored a touchdown with 3:07 to go to capture its third national title (second in three years).

• Twice in the second quarter, the Sooners failed to score when they had the ball inside Florida's 10-yard line. They were stopped on rushes on third- and fourth-and-goal from the 1 midway through the quarter and a Sam Bradford pass from the UF 6 in the final minute of the half was deflected and intercepted.

• Bradford, who won OU's fifth Heisman Trophy that season, completed 26 of 41 passes for 256 yards for two touchdowns (both to tight end Jermaine Gresham) and had two interceptions. Gresham finished with eight catches for 62 yards while running back Chris Brown carried 22 times for 110 yards.

• Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, the 2007 Heisman winner, was 18 for 30 through the air for 231 yards and two scores. Percy Harvin rushed for 121 yards and a TD on nine carries.

• Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and defensive back Nic Harris recorded interceptions.

• OU set a modern era scoring record with its 716 points in 2008 and entered the contest by racking up more than 60 points in each of the five previous outings, but was held to 363 yards and a season low in points (previous low was 35). Current OU assistant head coach for offense Kevin Wilson served as the team's offensive coordinator that season.

• DeMarco Murray rushed for 1,002 yards (5.6 average) and 14 touchdowns in OU's first 13 games that season (also caught 31 passes for 395 yards and four more scores) but had to miss the contest due to injury.

COTTON BOWL NOTES

• In one of its most dominant postseason efforts, Oklahoma set program bowl records for points (55) and total yards (684), tied its record for bowl game margin of victory (35) and set a Cotton Bowl standard for yards per rush (10.9) on Dec. 30, 2020. The 10.9 yards per carry represented the second-highest figure in any game in school history. OU's 435 rushing yards were its second most in a bowl game and its most in any contest since 2014. It gained 409 total yards (307 rushing) in the second half alone.

• Rhamondre Stevenson (186) and Marcus Major (110) each rushed for over 100 yards and all six Sooners who carried the ball registered their season-long rush. Meanwhile, Spencer Rattler completed 14 of 23 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a score.

• OU intercepted Heisman Trophy finalist Kyle Trask three times in the first quarter. Tre Norwood's pick-six on Florida's first possession gave the Sooners a 14-0 lead just 2:38 into the game.

• After Florida kicked a field goal with 6:05 left in the second quarter to cut OU's lead to 17-13, the Sooners rattled off 38 consecutive points over the next 30 minutes to go up 55-13.

• Stevenson and Norwood were named the game's outstanding offensive and defensive player, respectively.

OU ROAD SHOW

• Oklahoma has won 39 of its last 53 true road games (.736) going back to 2014, with nine of the 14 losses by one score.

• OU has scored at least 30 points in a nation-leading 43 of its last 57 true road games (school-record 35- game streak was stopped in 2021 at Baylor).

• The Sooners have outgained their opponent in 36 of their last 53 true road games.

• OU's 2019 defeat at Kansas State snapped the Sooners' 22-game true road winning streak (it hadn't lost since Oct. 4, 2014, at TCU), which was the second longest such streak nationally since at least the end of World War II. During the 22-game streak, OU outscored foes 1,076-626 (49-28 average).

YEAR THREE IN THE SEC

• Oklahoma and Texas officially joined the Southeastern Conference on July 1, 2024, after 28 years in the Big 12 Conference. OU won half (14) of the Big 12's football titles in its 28 years in the league and posted a 187-61 (.754) record against conference competition (includes an 11-1 record in Big 12 championship games).

• Oklahoma's 14 Big 12 titles were 10 more than the program with the next most (Texas won four). From 2010 through 2023, OU won eight Big 12 titles and was followed by Baylor (three), Kansas State (two) and Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas (one each).

ANOTHER SCHEDULE GAUNTLET

• OU has already faced four top-25 opponents this season (at No. 24 Michigan [coaches poll], at No. 2/2 Georgia, vs. No. 1/1 Texas and vs. No. 15/17 Kentucky), and three of its remaining five foes are ranked in this week's poll: at No. 25/RV Florida, vs. No. 12/12 Ole Miss and at No. 19/19 Missouri.

• This is the third straight season Oklahoma's schedule is among the nation's most challenging. Entering the year, the Sooners' strength of schedule was ranked as the country's second toughest in ESPN's FPI. OU's 2025 schedule was rated as the most difficult in the nation entering that campaign.

AYE AYE

• For the second straight year, the Sooners have season-long team captains (OU named weekly captains each of Brent Venables' first three years). This season's nine captains are senior defensive back Peyton Bowen, sophomore offensive lineman Michael Fasusi, sixth-year linebacker Owen Heinecke, fifth-year linebacker Kip Lewis, fifth-year offensive lineman Jake Maikkula, fifth-year quarterback John Mateer, junior offensive lineman Eddy Pierre-Louis, junior defensive lineman David Stone and senior defensive lineman Taylor Wein. Lewis and Mateer were captains last season.

STARKVILLE, MS - October 24, 2026 - Oklahoma Quarterback John Mateer (#10), Oklahoma Defensive Lineman David Stone (#0), Oklahoma Offensive Lineman Jake Maikkula (#69), and Oklahoma Defensive Lineman Taylor Wein (#44) during the game between the Mississippi St. Bulldogs and the Oklahoma Sooners at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS. Photo By Brendall Vargas/University of Oklahoma

NOTING THE OFFENSE

• John Mateer is 162 for 247 passing (66%) for 1,835 yards and 13 touchdowns (seven interceptions) and has rushed for 145 yards this season. He has completed more than 70% of his passes in three games (76% vs. New Mexico, 74% at Georgia and 76% at Mississippi State) and completed 69% against Texas. In his fifth year of college overall and second as OU's starter, he has totaled 5,296 offensive yards and 35 touchdowns as a Sooner (4,720 yards and 27 TDs passing and 576 yards and eight TDs rushing).

• Fifth-year wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III leads the Sooners with 45 receptions for 591 yards and has three touchdowns (34-yarder vs. UTEP, 53-yarder vs. New Mexico and 36-yarder at Mississippi State). He has four TD catches of at least 50 yards at OU, including ones of 58, 76 and 87 yards last season. He also has six career 100-yard receiving games, all as a Sooner. Sategna is averaging 5.6 receptions per game this year and has recorded eight catches three times (at Georgia, vs. Kentucky and at Mississippi State). Including kickoff and punt returns, Sategna is averaging a team-best 111.4 all-purpose yards per game, which ranks 34th nationally and third in the SEC.

• Oklahoma's tight ends combined for one receiving touchdown last season (by the now-departed Kaden Helms), but first-year Sooner tight ends Rocky Beers (40-yarder vs. UTEP; 17-yarder at Georgia; 20-yarder vs. Kentucky and 32-yarder at Mississippi State) and Hayden Hansen (29-yarder vs. New Mexico) have combined for five this season. Beers, a transfer from Colorado State, ranks fifth nationally (first in the SEC) among tight ends with his 55.8 receiving yards per game. His team-high four TD receptions are the most by an OU tight end in a season since 2022 when Brayden Willis had seven in 13 games.

• Junior transfer running back Lloyd Avant (Colorado State) leads OU in rushing through seven games with his 347 yards on 79 carries (two TDs on rushes of 1 yard vs. UTEP and 2 yards vs. Texas) and has 1,023 career rushing yards and eight TDs. His 42-yard run in the third quarter vs. Texas was OU's longest rushing play of the season at the time (now second longest). Avant is averaging 4.4 yards per carry this season, and is averaging 4.9 yards per rush (183 yards on 37 totes) over the last three contests.

• Sophomore Tory Blaylock, who was OU's leading rusher as a freshman last season with 480 yards and four TDs, ranks second on the team with 148 yards on 35 carries in seven games this season. He had a season-high 71 yards at Mississippi State. Junior Xavier Robinson has 50 rushing yards on 13 carries and 18 receiving yards on three catches in five games this season. He has 704 rushing yards and eight touchdowns and 243 receiving yards in his career. Freshman Jonathan Hatton Jr. (No. 5 running back prospect in the country) started vs. Texas and has 93 yards on 31 carries in his seven games this season. Those four running backs have combined for 158 of OU's 269 rushing attempts this season (Mateer has 86).

• Oklahoma added plenty of size to the tight end room via the transfer portal for this season in addition to the 6-5, 240-pound Beers. Hansen (6-8, 270-pound transfer from Florida) has made seven catches for 84 yards and a touchdown, while sophomore Jack Van Dorselaer (6-4, 250-pound transfer from Tennessee) has played in six contests (missed the Texas game due to injury) and has made four catches for 25 yards (all in the last two games). Returning sophomore Trynae Washington (6-3, 260) played in each of the first four games (missed the last four due to injury).

• Sophomore Manny Choice, who has made his first three career starts in the last three games, is third on the team with his 12 receptions and 144 yards. He scored his first career touchdown on a 14-yard catch at Georgia and led OU with a career-high 98 yards on five catches in his first start vs. Kentucky. Junior Mackenzie Alleyne (Washington State), who made his first catch as a Sooner on a 22-yard touchdown play at Michigan, has five receptions for 51 yards and made his first career start at Georgia, while junior Parker Livingstone (Texas) has six catches for 51 yards. Sophomore Elijah Thomas has started four games this year and has five receptions for 49 yards. Junior Ivan Carreon had his most productive game as a Sooner vs. South Carolina, recording a career-high 88 yards and his first two career TDs (34 and 10 yards).

• Sixteen Sooners have caught a pass this season, led by Sategna's 45 receptions and Beers' 34. Six players have made at least seven receptions (Choice has 12, Avant has 11, Hatton has 10 and Hansen has seven).

• Entering the season, the offensive unit with the most returning experience was the line, but due to injury, the Sooners have used seven different starting combinations in their eight games. The only two offensive linemen who have started all eight games this season are fifth-year senior E'Marion Harris (first-year transfer from Arkansas) and freshman Noah Best. Harris (32 career starts) has started all eight games at right tackle, while Best started the opener at center, the next three games at right guard and the last four at left guard. Fifth-year senior Jake Maikkula (32 career starts, 16 at OU) has started six games at center, but missed the opener and the South Carolina game. Senior Heath Ozaeta (19 career starts) has started four games this season (three at right guard and one at left guard), but only the Georgia and Texas games consecutively. Sophomore Michael Fasusi, a true freshman AllAmerican last season and preseason All-SEC pick, has played in only three games (starts at left tackle in the opener vs. UTEP and each of the last two contests). Sophomore Ryan Fodje started the other five contests at left tackle, but has missed the other three due to injury. Junior Eddy Pierre-Louis (nine career starts, including eight of the last nine games in which he played) played in each of the first four games and started the first three, but has been out since. Sophomore transfer Peyton Joseph (Georgia Tech) has played in all eight contests and made his first career starts vs. Kentucky and at Mississippi State at right guard.

NOTING THE DEFENSE

• Through eight games, Oklahoma's opponents have scored on just 27% of their offensive possessions (25 of 93; 19 touchdowns and six field goals).

• Oklahoma has allowed only one 100-yard rusher this season (111 yards by Mississippi State's Fluff Bothwell). The only two opposing players over the last two seasons to rush for 100 yards or more against OU were Michigan's Justice Haynes on Sept. 6, 2025 (125 yards on 19 carries) and Bothwell, 18 games apart.

• In 34 games since the start of the 2024 season, Oklahoma has allowed fewer than 100 net rushing yards 16 times, including twice this season (69 by New Mexico and 72 by Kentucky).

• OU has held five of eight opponents to under 190 passing yards. Its first three foes each threw for under 120 yards. The two exceptions were Texas (260 passing yards) and South Carolina (309 passing yards).

• Oklahoma has been especially strong on third downs since Brent Venables took over defensive playcalling duties prior to the 2025 season, ranking second nationally by limiting opponents to a 28.1% percent conversion rate (only Texas A&M at 25.8% has allowed a lower conversion rate during that span).

• The Sooners are 11-3 in the Venables era when they score a defensive touchdown, including 4-1 since the start of the 2025 season. The last three such wins came against ranked teams (at No. 14 Tennessee and at No. 4 Alabama last season and vs. No. 1 Texas three games ago), while the lone loss over the last two seasons came this past Saturday to South Carolina.

• Oklahoma's stout defense has been a group effort. Thirty-one defensive players have notched a tackle this season, 16 have recorded at least 10 tackles and none have registered more than 65 tackles through eight games (linebacker Owen Heinecke has a team-high 64). Twenty-one players have recorded at least 0.5 tackle for loss (Heinecke leads the team with 7.5), 15 players have at least 0.5 sack (linemen Adepoju Adebawore and Jake Kreul lead the team with 4.0 and 3.0 sacks, respectively), 12 different players have recorded a pass breakup (safety Peyton Bowen leads with five) and nine players have been credited with at least one QB hurry (Heinecke leads with four).

• OU's line is once again is one of the team's strongest units. Returning primary contributors are seniors Adebawore and Taylor Wein, and juniors Jayden Jackson, Danny Okoye and David Stone, who have totaled 63.5 career tackles for loss and 30.5 career sacks. Kreul, sophomore Trent Wilson and fifth-year senior Bishop Thomas (Georgia State transfer), as well as junior Kenny Ozowalu (UTSA) and returning junior Wyatt Gilmore, have been members of the defensive line rotation this season. Gilmore has 10 tackles (1.5 TFLs), Kreul has nine tackles (3.5 TFLs), Thomas has made nine stops (1.0 TFL) and Wilson has made eight (2.5 TFLs, 1.0 sack). Kreul's 2.5 sacks vs. Kentucky were the most in school history by a true freshman.

• The Sooners' linebacker corps features fifth-year star Kip Lewis, who has made 37 career starts and totaled 239 career tackles (20.5 for loss). He also has three interceptions, all of which have been returned for touchdowns. He is just the fifth player in school history (only linebacker) with three career pick-sixes.

• Sixth-year standout Heinecke, who is a semifinalist for the Butkus Award for the nation's best linebacker, leads the team with 64 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and four QB hurries. The former walk-on, who is in his fifth year at OU, was extremely productive in his breakout 2025 season and has now started each of the last 13 contests. He ranked second on the team with 74 tackles (12.0 for loss) last year and has registered 138 tackles (19.5 TFLs and 5.0 sacks), two forced fumbles, six QB hurries and four pass breakups over the last two seasons (all but 11 tackles of his career stats line).

• Junior James Nesta is part of the rotation this season after playing primarily on specials teams for two years, and has 19 tackles (0.5 for loss), a pass breakup, a QB hurry and a fumble recovery. Junior transfer Cole Sullivan, who registered 44 tackles in 11 games and three starts at Michigan last year, has nine tackles (0.5 TFL) and a pass breakup in his five contests this season (has missed three games due to injury).

• The defensive backfield is stout again with six experienced returners, including senior and Thorpe Award semifinalist Peyton Bowen, who has totaled 158 tackles (6.0 for loss), four interceptions and 17 pass breakups over his 47 career games and 27 starts. He ranks second on the team with his 41 stops this year (2.5 for loss, 1.0 sack) and leads it with two interceptions (one returned 42 yards for a touchdown vs. Texas) and five PBUs. Junior Eli Bowen (21 career starts at cornerback) has notched 12 tackles and two PBUs in his four starts this season (missed the last four games due to injury) after recording 24 tackles, two interceptions (including an 87-yarder for a TD in a win at No. 4 Alabama) and four PBUs in nine contests last year. Sophomore Courtland Guillory has made 19 career starts (eight this season) at cornerback and has four PBUs this year and registered his first career interception vs. Texas. Junior Reggie Powers III has started all eight games this season at the "Cheetah" position and ranks third on the team with 39 tackles (5.5 for loss and 2.0 sacks) and has two PBUs and a QB hurry. Junior Michael Boganowski has 63 tackles in 32 career games (four career starts; three this season) and senior Jacobe Johnson has three career interceptions in 41 games (two starts).

• A pair of sophomore defensive backs have stepped into larger roles this season, as Omarion Robinson has started each of the last six games at safety and Trystan Haynes each of the last four at cornerback. In eight games this year, Robinson is tied for fourth on the team with his 33 tackles, has one of OU's seven interceptions, a pass breakup and a QB hurry (the hurry was on Guillory's late interception vs. Texas). Haynes has 25 tackles this season, including seven stops and his first career PBU in his first start vs. Texas.

A LOOK AT SPECIAL TEAMS

• Oklahoma's special teams have drastically improved since the arrival of coordinator Doug Deakin. After finishing No. 127 in ESPN's special teams efficiency ratings in 2023 (the year before Deakin's arrival), the Sooners jumped to No. 41 in 2024 and to No. 10 in 2025.

• OU returned all four major players in the kicking game from last season, including reigning Lou Groza Award winner Tate Sandell and first-team All-SEC punter Grayson Miller. Three-year standout long snapper Ben Anderson and holder Jacob Ulrich are also back this season. Ulrich started last season as OU's punter before giving way to Miller due to an injury, and has served as the team's punter the last five games since OU's contest at Georgia. Anderson is OU's long snapper for the fourth straight year.

• Sandell, who transferred to OU from UTSA last year, is 12 for 18 on field goal attempts this season and 36 for 45 in his two years at OU. He is also 51 for 51 on PATs at OU (16 for 16 this season). After missing three straight field goal attempts (from 41 yards vs. New Mexico, 54 yards at Georgia and 53 yards vs. Texas), Sandell converted from 53 and 47 yards against the No. 1 Longhorns (the 47-yard game-winner came as time expired) and from 44 and 26 yards against No. 15 Kentucky.

• Sandell has made 21 field goals of 40 or more yards and 10 field goals of 50-plus yards in his 21 games as a Sooner. He is tied with Gabe Brkic (2019-21) for the school record for makes from both 40-plus and 50-plus yards. Sandell is 21 of 29 on field goals of 40-plus yards and 10 of 13 on kicks of 50-plus yards. Brkic made 21 of 30 attempts from 40-plus yards and 10 of 15 from 50-plus.

• Ulrich has averaged 44.6 yards on 27 punts this season, with eight of 50-plus yards and a long of 56. Miller has averaged 45.0 yards on 10 punts this season, including three of longer than 50 yards (long of 62). Miller set an OU record for punts longer than 50 yards last season (24).

• Isaiah Sategna III ranks ninth nationally and first in the SEC this season by averaging 13.8 yards on his 11 punt returns. He took his first punt return of the year 88 yards for a touchdown. He averaged 13.3 yards on 24 returns last year. Sategna has also averaged 21.0 yards on five kickoff returns this season.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S BEST

• During the modern era of college football (since the end of World War II), the Sooners are the nation's No. 1 team with more wins (720) than any other program (next most is 695 by Alabama).

• Oklahoma has finished in the top 5 of the AP poll a nation-leading 33 times (Ohio State is second with 32).

• OU leads all FBS programs with 50 all-time conference championships. The rest of the top five includes Nebraska (46), Michigan (44), Ohio State (39) and USC (37). The Sooners' 14 league titles since 2000 are the most among Power Five programs (Ohio State ranks second with 11).

• Since the start of the 2000 season, OU ranks second with 19 seasons of at least 10 wins.

• Since former head coach Bob Stoops arrived in Norman in 1999, OU leads the country with its 13,607 points scored. Boise State (13,394) is second and Oregon (13,198) third.

EXTRA POINT

• Bob Stoops, Oklahoma's career wins leader with a 191-48 (.799) record from 1999-2016, was hired by the Sooners following a three-year stint as Florida's defensive coordinator (1996-98). Stoops helped Steve Spurrier's Gators to the 1996 national title and a 32-5 record with Sugar, Citrus and Orange bowl wins.